


Operation Mistletoe

by nychus



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: First Kiss, Holidays, IgNoct Secret Santa 2019, Ignoct Secret Santa, Lestallum (Final Fantasy XV), M/M, Mistletoe, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:42:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21939892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nychus/pseuds/nychus
Summary: The boys stumble into Lestallum in the midst of their festival season. Gladio and Prompto take it upon themselves to get their two best friends together with a little bit of egging on and a little bit of mistletoe.
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 10
Kudos: 41
Collections: Ignoct Secret Santa 2019





	Operation Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ThatScottishShipper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatScottishShipper/gifts).



> This is for singloom for the IgNoct Secret Santa Exchange. It was such a great prompt and I had a lot of fun writing this. I hope that you enjoy it! Merry Christmas!

As they exited the tunnel leading to Lestallum, they all were quick to notice a change in atmosphere. Fairy lights hung from light post to light post. Giant bows were tied around vender stalls. Bright facsimiles of what looked like crystals were hung here and there across the town.

“Woah,” Prompto said and the others couldn’t think of anything better to say. This was completely unexpected.

“It’s Crystal Days?” Prompto asked as they piled out of the Regalia and started to head down towards Vyv’s usual spot.

A local heard his question and answered, “No, we don’t celebrate the Crystal. We haven’t since it’s magic stopped protecting us.”

Noctis hoped he didn’t visibly flinch at those words. He knew there were many who thought that pulling back the wall was as good as abandoning all of Lucis that wasn’t Insomnia. He also knew there were many reasons to pull back the wall that actually helped the whole of Lucis, but now wasn’t the time for that.

“Then what is all of this?” Gladio asked, motioning to the décor.

The local smiled. “We took the holiday and shifted it towards the meteor. It’s the meteor and its shards that protect us now. That is what we celebrate.”

“That is quite brilliant. Re-allocating a holiday for something else,” Ignis said as he thanked the local. “People like to celebrate and losing a holiday would be devastating for morale. Might as well redesign it.”

Vyv wasn’t around, so they headed towards the Leville, taking in the sights. New stalls were open that catered to the event. Lights and crystals were everywhere. It was quite magical. They even had mistletoe, Noctis noticed, but before he could start to ponder the likelihood of playing just one more round with Ignis, Gladio had to open his mouth upon seeing the same sprig of vegetation.

“Alright, mistletoe. Perhaps we’ll find someone to share a moment with,” he laughed, throwing an arm around Prompto’s shoulders. Prompto stuttered but didn’t get a chance to say anything when Gladio turned to Ignis and Noctis. “Do we need to keep an eye on you two? I know what you are like around mistletoe.”

He was clearly kidding, but Ignis deemed in necessary to respond. “I don’t see how you would know how we are around mistletoe. You were never around during Crystal Days.”

“Doesn’t mean I didn’t hear the rumors.”

“What rumors?” Prompto asked.

“Rumors that these two would chase each other around Citadel trying to kiss each other under mistletoe.”

“What?! That’s so cute!”

“We were children.”

“Even cuter!”

Ignis just rolled his eyes and lead the way to the hotel. Gladio ended up following him, but Noctis and Prompto got distracted by the different stalls and promised to catch up later.

“Here we go,” Prompto laughed, picking up a silly hat and dropping it on Noctis’s head, “now you’re the Founder King.”

They laughed and enjoyed going through the market and where it spread out to other places across Lestallum looking at the bits and baubles. A lot were cheap looking tchotchkes used for decorating one’s home, but some stalls held some really nice gifts. Noctis found himself wandering towards the more expensive stalls while Prompto played around the others.

All in all, it was a good day and they ended at the little café at the end of the marketplace with some drinks.

“Gotta say, Crystal Day is better celebrated when there’s snow on the ground and hot cocoa in your mug,” Prompto said.

“Yep. But I think Lestallum would completely break down if it actually snowed here.”

“True that.” They sat quietly for a moment before Prompto finally asked, “So, you and Iggy used to kiss each other under mistletoe? Here I thought you’d never been kissed before.”

“We were kids,” Noctis felt the need to repeat. “And I hardly count a quick peck on the cheek a kiss. Besides, it was a game in who could trick the other into standing underneath the stuff.”

“Oh? Who won?”

Noctis shrugged, “We could never keep count. But I believe I got the last kiss in before we stopped.” Truthfully, Noctis knew he had been the last one. Their game changed when the staff started gossiping about impropriety. Noctis, at fourteen, had initially wanted to stop forever, but missed the game the following year. It became a game of stealth and a single kiss during the season. He was fairly certain no one knew the game continued for a few more years. It stopped the winter after he’d graduated high school. He didn’t know what it was, but Ignis had put on an air that clearly said the game would not continue. It was never discussed, it just ended. Noctis avoided mistletoe ever since. He’d avoid it here too.

“You believe?” Prompto prodded.

Noctis shrugged again and said nothing more.

~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, Ignis and Gladio checked into the Leville and moved all their bags from the Regalia to the room. Ignis was giving a cursory look at the little kitchenette to see if it was suitable for cooking dinner before deciding to make a list to run to the market.

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you earlier. About the mistletoe, I mean,” Gladio said as Ignis returned to the main room.

“You didn’t embarrass me, but it did seem prudent to remind you we were children.”

“Oh? When was the last time you played your game?”

Unfortunately, Ignis not answering the question clued Gladio into how long it actually went on. He didn’t need to know the exact age at which they quit, but he could tell it went longer than deemed appropriate. Gladio gave him a knowing grin.

Reluctantly, Ignis gave an answer. “He was in high school, but it had become a game of stealth and actually a fun exercise for him to learn how to be sneaky.”

“Didn’t want to get caught kissing the prince?”

“Right,” Ignis answered slowly. He could see Gladio’s mind working and he worried what those cogs were going to come up with.

“Why did you guys stop if not for that?”

Gladio asked the question and Ignis mentally answered _I stopped because the last time he had kissed my cheek I almost grabbed his face to kiss him properly_ but he still managed to hear the next sentence.

“Didja stop once you realized the kid had the biggest crush on you? Not want to lead him on?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Ignis asked. He didn’t know if he heard correctly. He couldn’t have because Noctis would never…

“Oh, come on, Ignis. You know everything about Noct and you’re telling me that you didn’t see how madly in love he was with you? How could you not notice? Everyone else did.”

“Because it’s not true.” It couldn’t be. Ignis was certain he would have noticed; he was pretty good at noticing when others were infatuated with him and letting them down gently.

Gladio laughed, “I cannot believe this. The kid who would refuse to do anything anyone asked him but as soon as you come into play, he’d do everything and more. Just to make you happy.”

“Hardly, he knows I could make his life miserable if—”

“You realized that he’s a prince – a king! – and could easily fire or punish you if he wanted to. He could have set you extra work or onto the worst committees at the very least because you asked him to eat his veggies. Yet he never did.”

Ignis just stared. He didn’t know how to respond to any of that. Finally, he muttered something along the lines of it being in the past and didn’t matter before leaving the room to gather ingredients for dinner.

~*~*~*~*~

Gladio found the others still sitting at the café and went to join them. After a brief conversation, Noctis left to go find Ignis, leaving Prompto and Gladio with new drinks and a chance to talk.

“I learned something interesting just now,” Gladio started. This led to the eyebrows of Prompto rising with piqued curiosity. “But, first, is Noct still madly in love with Iggy?”

“O.M.G. Yes. You should have seen the look on his face when I asked about the whole mistletoe thing. It was adorable! But what did you learn?”

“For one, the mistletoe thing went on way longer than anyone knew. Noct was in high school.”

“Woah.”

“But, that’s not even the best part,” Gladio leaned in conspiratorially, “Ignis had no idea Noct was in to him. Even better? Ignis is totally in love with Noct.”

“What? No way! Are you for real?” Prompto asked with this smile getting bigger with each sentence.

“He’s always been good at hiding his feelings and so I never knew, but when he found out Noct was in to him, his face did this thing where it was both utterly heartbroken and completely hopeful at the same time.”

“We have GOT to get them underneath some mistletoe,” Prompto declared. “They’ve been pining for each other for so long!”

“They’ll be actively avoiding it. Besides, neither would do more than a cheek kiss and you know it,” Gladio pointed out.

A quiet moment descended on them while they tried to figure out a way to get “Operation Mistletoe” (“I refuse to call it that,” grumbled Gladio) to work. Finally, it was Prompto who spoke up.

“I’ll work on Noct. Convince him to go full on kiss on the lips.”

With a skeptical look, Gladio asked, “Really? Noct?”

“Think you’d have better luck with Mr. ‘Propriety’ Scientia? At least with Noct I can probably wheedle in the thought of ‘do you want to get married without ever knowing what kissing Ignis was like?’ If he thinks about it too much, you know he’ll come around.”

Gladio thought that through and nodded. “Good point. You work on Noct and I’ll secure some mistletoe to hang in the room. Hopefully, before the end of the night, they will realize how stupidly perfect they are for one another.”

“Haha, for reals,” Prompto laughed. They finished their drinks, wished each other good luck, and split ways upon leaving the café. “Operation Mistletoe is a go!”

“Still not calling it that!”

~*~*~*~*~

Noctis was once again wandering around the stalls when Prompto found him.

“Thought you went to find Ignis.”

Half distracted by a snow globe, Noctis answered, “I did. Just wanted to be sure he wasn’t putting anything awful in dinner tonight.”

“You should go find him again and pull him underneath some mistletoe.”

Noctis rolled his eyes and made a noise of displeasure. “Prompto, no. Just…no. Can we stop with the mistletoe?”

“Nope.” Prompto had a shit-eating grin on his face that Noctis desperately wanted to punch off. “I’m not going to stop until you convince me you don’t actually want to kiss him underneath some.”

The stare wasn’t quite blank, Noctis knew, but that was the look he was going for. Finally, he said, “I don’t want to.”

“I said to convince me,” Prompto prodded. “Convince me that you don’t want to know, that you aren’t just a tiny bit curious. An actual kiss before you marry Lady Lunafreya once we’ve fixed the world.”

“Prompto…”

“Noct, come on! You know you want to. I know you want to. You have been crushing on Iggy for so long now—”

“What?!”

“—and it would be a waste to not know. Be the dumb young adult you’re supposed to be and just go for it!”

Noctis was still sputtering, horrified that anyone knew he had had the biggest crush on Ignis for the longest time. “How did you know?”

An arm was suddenly around his shoulder and Prompto pulled him close. “Dude, I think everyone knew except for Ignis.”

“WHAT?!”

“Yeah, so, look, Gladio’s gone out to find some mistletoe to hang in the room. Go, catch him under it. Say you want to have an official end or just one actual kiss since you played the game for so long and it ended so abruptly or something. I dunno.”

“I can’t…”

“Yes you can! Go, now, shoo!” Prompto pushed Noctis a little and then gave him a soft kick on his ass. When Noctis turned to look at him, Prompto just gestured a ‘go on’ motion with his hands. Resigned, Noctis headed towards the Leville to do…something.

~*~*~*~*~

Ignis was standing in the room, staring at the sprig of mistletoe that had suddenly appeared over the little archway to the kitchenette. He was shaking his head and muttering curses towards Gladio when the room door opened.

“Hey,” was the greeting from Noctis who quickly noticed the mistletoe. He stared at it but said nothing.

“Courtesy of Gladio I’m sure,” Ignis supplied. “Give me a moment and I’ll get it down.”

“No, leave it.”

Ignis looked back towards Noctis, questioning without words.

“It’s festive.”

All he could do was give a small grin and agree. Carefully sidestepping the offending object, Ignis went into the kitchenette and started pulling out ingredients for dinner. Noctis had flopped backwards on the bed nearest him and Ignis was quite sure he’d nod off soon.

After several minutes of working in silence, Noctis proved he hadn’t fallen asleep by asking, “Why did you stop?”

With a sigh, Ignis closed his eyes. He knew exactly what Noctis was asking but was afraid to answer. Instead he asked, “Stop what?”

“You know what. The mistletoe game.”

“Right.” Ignis made sure that nothing was in danger with overcooking or being affected by being exposed before he slipped back into the main room and leaned against the wall.

“We were too old, Noct. We should have stopped when you first had your doubts. There’s an image to be upheld, propriety to be managed.”

“Bullshit,” Noctis countered. “Something happened. Did someone see us and yell at you? Or even just guess? If it was just about image you would have said something to me and not just dodge every corridor known to have mistletoe. What happened?”

“Nothing, it was jus—”

“IGNIS!”

“I wanted to kiss you! Is that what you want to hear? That I wanted to grab your face and kiss you properly. To pull you away to some empty room and taste you. But I couldn’t. It would never be allowed and I would have been fired and sent away. I couldn’t…” Ignis sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “I couldn’t stand the thought of being taken away from you and so I pushed away those feelings and stopped allowing myself the tiny taste of it I got around Crystal Day.”

Noctis sat there staring and saying nothing.

“I’m sorry. I know you know that I’ve never let that affect my work but I would understand if you felt the need to do something.”

 _Do something?_ Ignis asked himself as he realized his mind was completely checked out because of this conversation. Normally he’d be able to list all sorts of terrible things but he couldn’t bring himself to do it now.

He then watched as Noctis stood from the bed, walked towards the kitchenette, and stood squarely underneath the mistletoe.

“This world has gone to shit, Specs. Nothing of the old ways has to be implemented when we rebuild. This includes whatever ideas people have about you and me because you have no idea how badly I want you under this stupid plant with me right now.”

Noctis held out his arms in invitation and Ignis laughed. How could he not? The situation was so ridiculous and unnecessary and yet somehow so them. They had never taken the easy way when doing things, why would their first kiss be any different.

He was quick to join Noctis in the archway. He cupped Noctis’s face as they smiled and stared into each other’s eyes. After a second of just being together in that moment, Ignis leaned down and finally—FINALLY—got that kiss he had dreamed of for so many nights. He pulled back just enough to gage Noctis’s reaction and was quite pleased to see the slight blush and hopeful eyes. Noctis very clearly wanted more and Ignis was more than happy to provide.

They stood for a while under the mistletoe, holding each other and exploring each other’s mouth. Ignis was pretty sure he could have stood there all day until there was a clicking sound. The two instantly split apart and looked at the door where their two friends were fist-bumping each other with large, accomplished grins on their faces.

Prompto wasted no time in skipping over and showing them the picture he had taken. Ignis hated that it was a good one and that they’ll always have the moment of their first kiss captured.

Gladio also came over and looked at the picture. “This will be a great picture to have guests sign their well-wishes to at your wedding.”

“Our what?!” Both Ignis and Noctis exclaimed together.

Gladio just laughed and asked if he could help with dinner and suddenly everything was back to normal. It was as if he and Noctis had always been together as Gladio stepped into the kitchen and Noctis fell back on the bed to play games with Prompto.

He felt like he’d be celebrating the meteor from now on as Crystal Days came around for it had given him the best gift ever.

**Author's Note:**

> I used some elements I've headcanon'd for IgNoct that show up in other stories, but I don't think they're necessary reading for this as the main point (the boys playing kiss-chase under the mistletoe) is explained. The only thing that might be weird is the comment on the Founder King, and that's their version of Santa Claus: A real dude that got extraordinarily mythologized to where there is not much resemblance to the real person anymore.


End file.
